When I coach someone who is looking for a new job, or speak to a room of job seekers, I make one thing very clear: Don’t rely on job posting boards like Monster or CareerBuilder to find your next job!

Here’s the problem: The best jobs – the ones you want – never even make it to these sites. They are either filled internally or through people already in the hiring decision maker’s network. That’s why I always encourage people to invest their time and effort into networking.

But there have been a variety of new job boards that have recently popped up that SEEM to have more potential – particularly job sites dedicated to Boomers and “over 50” jobs. But are these sites any more reliable than other job board destinations?

That’s exactly what Nancy Collamer set out to identify in this Forbes piece. She’s done her homework. And her finding? NO. These sites, in general, are not to be relied upon. Here’s her reasoning:

One reason the job-post tools on these sites failed to impress us is that “people over 50” is a large, diverse demographic. It’s virtually impossible to filter search results to effectively meet the needs of everyone in this group. Another: by law, companies can’t advertise jobs for a specific age group only.

I highly recommend you read the rest of the article for more insights. Also take note that at the end of the piece, she does recommend a few job board sites that are niche in terms of career focus, not demographic.

Have you ever tried an “Over 50” job board? Have you ever had a positive or negative experience with a massive job board site? I want to hear your stories!